adam12 Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 How many parks has Six Flags closed or sold off? Are they still in trouble? They really should get their act together or Cedar Fair will buy them too in about 15-20 years! -adam12 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPKI Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 Well there's SFWOA - Now owned by Cedar Fair, SF Astroworld, and all their European properties they sold off. Then I believe that they are selling off Frontier City at the end of this season, as well as Wyandot Lake which is going to be operated by the Columbus Zoo. That's all I know of right now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Picard Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 I think if all goes well they will have their act together in about 15 years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 They will have it together long before then, or another investor will come in and/or the lenders will foreclose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 They will have it together long before then, or another investor will come in and/or the lenders will foreclose. Interpreter, so how do the other Six Flags parks compare to Georgia. I can't imagine this park doing things much different other than the parking prices. They certainly have it all together down here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kenban Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 The chain continues to lose money and last time I looked was 2.1 billion in debt. Total they lost 111 million last year. In my view I doubt they will be able to turn it around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 The $15 parking price is pretty much universal, except at Kentucky Kingdom, which does not own its parking lot (the Commonwealth of Kentucky does, and the last time I was there it was five dollars, still). I have found Six Flags America and Six Flags Great Adventure to have made improvements comparable to those in Georgia, in guest services, cleanliness and staffing. I also found Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, though not quite rising to that level, to be much improved. I wish I could say the same about Six Flags Over Texas. I can't. I was there a week ago last Sunday and Monday. The food places were mostly closed. Those that were open were very slow. One train on most all the coasters. Only two shows on Sunday, and NONE on Monday. No trams in the parking lot. And the park itself was not very clean. The parade at the end of the evening was among the shortest I have ever seen, and the employees participating in it looked to be glum and unenthusiastic. It was if a pall hang over the park. The SFOT I remember under the old Six Flags was much better than this. Something is wrong down there, or at least was the two days I visited. That being said, Mr. Freeze is running awesome (even though it seems to not open with the park), and Shockwave was giving Mindbender a run for its money for the title of best grand old Schwarzkoph... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 The chain continues to lose money and last time I looked was 2.1 billion in debt. Total they lost 111 million last year. In my view I doubt they will be able to turn it around. "They" is a different "they" than last year. And things are definitely much different than before. It is way too early to make predictions, especially if those predictions are based on past performance. Besides, the selloff of excess lands and parks has hardly begun. Hold on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WooferBearATL Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 The $15 parking price is pretty much universal, except at Kentucky Kingdom, which does not own its parking lot (the Commonwealth of Kentucky does, and the last time I was there it was five dollars, still). I have found Six Flags America and Six Flags Great Adventure to have made improvements comparable to those in Georgia, in guest services, cleanliness and staffing. I also found Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom, though not quite rising to that level, to be much improved. I wish I could say the same about Six Flags Over Texas. I can't. I was there a week ago last Sunday and Monday. The food places were mostly closed. Those that were open were very slow. One train on most all the coasters. Only two shows on Sunday, and NONE on Monday. No trams in the parking lot. And the park itself was not very clean. The parade at the end of the evening was among the shortest I have ever seen, and the employees participating in it looked to be glum and unenthusiastic. It was if a pall hang over the park. The SFOT I remember under the old Six Flags was much better than this. Something is wrong down there, or at least was the two days I visited. That being said, Mr. Freeze is running awesome (even though it seems to not open with the park), and Shockwave was giving Mindbender a run for its money for the title of best grand old Schwarzkoph... That's really surprising as I thought Texas was one of their premeir parks. Granted, they had an uphill battle to fight with how many of the properties had become. But you know if they were able to make such a radical change to Georgia's park; I'm betting it can be done at the ones that they further maintain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 WooferBearATL, you'll find this article interesting (as will those who think Six Flags isn't changing, but for a different reason): http://jimhillmedia.com/blogs/chris_barry/...05/23/2538.aspx The pictures of Great Adventure there should, if nothing else does, convince you that the new Six Flags is not the old Six Flags. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Captain Nemo Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 Current Six Flags parks that are closed or sold... Six Flags New Orleans- Closed due to Hurricane Six Flags Wyandot Lake- To be sold at the end of the 2006 season Frontier City- To be sold at the end of the 2006 Season Six Flags Worlds of Adventure- Sold to Cedar Fair in 2004 Six Flags Astroworld- Closed in 2005 All the Europe division six flags parks were sold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted May 25, 2006 Share Posted May 25, 2006 And this is the last season for the Six Flags Sacramento waterpark: It will either be dismantled or sold to another chain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstrwomann Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 Check out Six Flags.com they are selling six more parks. It's under the investors section. I hope someone can convince them to keep SFMM and SFDL and sell the international parks in Canada and Mexico. We will not have any parks to go to for variety anymore if this doesn't turn around. I went to SFKK and SFDL this year and both were very well maintained and clean. The shows need to be increased but I feel these are nice parks to visit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 20, 2006 Share Posted July 20, 2006 They are NOT necessarily selling those six parks. They are considering selling those six parks. And the Canadian and Mexican parks are very profitable. This is a business. The parks exist to make money, not just to please us. If they don't do both, they won't be around for long. Having been to each of the dry parks that is on that list, I understand full well why they are. The state of the company is such that if drastic action isn't taken, ALL the parks, including the ones you like, will not be around, at least not under the current, new management. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SOB_TOM Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 Interpreter, I was at SFKK earlier this year while returning from Holiwood Nights and Rumblefest, and I was disappointed beyond belief. I heard that guest service picked up, and that the park was cleaner, but the only guest service we had all day came from a lady in a drink stand that we stopped by on the way out. I saw no major improvement at all at that park. Of course, coming back from HW and BB, both extremely nice parks for their size, it really didnt surprise me. I was spoiled beyond belief. Understand people, that the whole "save the parks" thing is East Coast. The land out West is very profitable, and people arent as interested in theme parks, especially since it seems theres one on each street corner. I dont think that Six Flags will ever completely get back on track. The old SF went on a buying spree in the 90's, spread too wide, and now they cant keep up with it all. Yes, selling the parks is a good financial idea, but unless they make bigger gains on guest services, cleanliness, and most important, the quality of all their rides, not just a select few, SF will never return to the old days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Interpreter Posted July 21, 2006 Share Posted July 21, 2006 First of all, parks are actually further apart out West than they are in the East, except in the LA area. Interestingly, Mr. Shapiro not too long back put out a Don't Touch parks list, of the best Six Flags, those that should be held up as models for the chain: Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Six Flags over Texas, Six Flags over Georgia, Six Flags Great America, Six Flags New England and The Great Escape. You will note this list is far from focused on the East Coast. Great Adventure isn't even on it, for example. The Great Escape is relatively far inland, and not exactly high profile to the rest of the country. And Six Flags New England is a relatively lesser known park, except among enthusiasts. Second, Cedar Fair just went on a huge buying spree. The debt level is almost exactly the same as Six Flags. Some of the smaller Cedar Fair parks are not a whole lot different than some of the smaller Six Flags parks were at the time of acquisition (Valleyfair and Great America come immediately to mind). How the Cedar Fair acquisition plays out is yet to be seen. There is great opportunity for Cedar Fair here. And great risk. And the entire industry is on far shakier ground right now than it has been for many, many years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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